‘Let’s not allow the irresponsible behaviour of a minority set us all back’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon criticized Rangers for a ‘lack of leadership’ when she addressed the Holyrood parliament today.
She told MSPs:
The ability to announce even limited changes at this stage is possible only because of the hard sacrifices that the majority of people across the country continue to make each and every single day.
So let me at the outset acknowledge, and be clear that I share, the anger and despair that the vast majority of people – including, I am sure, the majority of football fans – felt at the weekend towards crowds of supporters flagrantly breaching rules that the rest of us are following every day at great personal cost.
The behaviour witnessed at the weekend was disgraceful and it was selfish.
Now it is natural that some of the anger people feel is directed towards the government and the police – I absolutely understand that. All of us must reflect on what more could have been done, and what more we need to do to avoid any repeat in the future.
But those at fault are those who breached the rules.
How the police manage situations like this is, of course, an operational matter – government cannot and should not direct policing operations.
I will though be speaking to the Chief Constable later this afternoon to consider what further action might be necessary to avoid any repeat of the unacceptable scenes we saw at the weekend.
However, no one should doubt the deeply invidious situation that behaviour like this puts the police in as they discharge their responsibility to protect public order and public safety.
We will also be having further discussions this week with the football authorities and with certain football clubs who, in my view, do need to show much more leadership on occasions like this.
Now let me be clear, in making these comments, I really don’t care about the colour of the shirt. My comments on these matters are in no way partisan.
I said some harsh things about Celtic’s decisions at the start of this year. And as far as I am concerned in this case, Rangers Football Club could have done more to help avoid this situation arising at the weekend.
The fact is that elite sport is being allowed to continue just now so that fans – deprived like all of us of so much else in life right now – can continue to watch and support their teams.
It would be deeply unfair if a minority spoil that for the majority, and I very much hope that will not be the case.
But given the fragility of the situation we face right now, we cannot simply turn a blind eye to what happened at the weekend and we won’t.
So we will report back in due course – and certainly ahead of the Old Firm match scheduled for 21 March – on the various discussions taking place this week.
Now finally on this subject, I understand, completely understand, why people watching what unfolded at the weekend might wonder why they are bothering doing the right thing.
The fact is the vast majority of us are doing the right thing because we know it really matters – it matters for our own health and the health of our loved ones.
It is about saving lives. And it is working. As I will set out shortly, we are firmly on the right path.
So, no matter how legitimately angry we feel, let’s not allow the irresponsible behaviour of a minority to set us all back.
Let’s stick with it as we make our way, slowly but surely, back to normality.
– Commitment to be achieved by 2030, five years ahead of other supermarkets –
– Morrisons to launch ‘zero emission’ eggs in 2022 and beef by 2025 –
Morrisons has pledged to become the first supermarket to be completely supplied by ‘zero emission’ British farms by 2030 – five years ahead of the industry. The move comes after customers said they wanted their food to be as low emission and ‘green’ as possible.
Agriculture currently accounts for 10 per cent of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, with new research revealing that two thirds of people are considering the environmental impact of the food they eat[2].
Morrisons is UK farming’s biggest customer and will work directly with its farmers to create affordable zero emission produce. The first to hit shelves will be zero emission eggs by 2022, with lamb, fruit, vegetables, pork and beef following before the end of 2025.
Beef farming is the most challenging product to make greener as it currently generates 45 per cent of all UK agricultural carbon[3] emissions for only five per cent of products sold. Almost half of this is due to methane produced by the cows. Morrisons is working closely with its farms to create a zero emission beef range by 2025 by using smaller cattle breeds, low-methane feed, methane reducing supplements (such as seaweed), and by planting trees.
The National Farmers Union has asked farmers to work towards a 2040 ‘net zero’ emissions goal, with other supermarkets working towards 2035. British farming’s biggest supermarket customer, Morrisons, will work alongside its 3,000 farmers and growers to achieve this target five years earlier, in 2030.
Morrisons and a selection of its farmers are this month starting work on zero emissions ‘farm models’ that will look at the complete journey of meat and crops from germination to leaving the farm. They will serve as a blueprint – and be rolled out across all Morrisons farms to produce all food in this zero emissions way.
The models will look at reducing carbon by: rearing different animal breeds; using low food-mile feedstuffs; using renewable energy and low emission barns; and cutting water and fertiliser use. Offsetting carbon emissions will also be done by: planting grassland and clover; restoring peatland; planting trees[4]; and seeding hedgerows.
As part of the programme, Morrisons will set up the world’s first School of Sustainable Farming at Harper Adams Agricultural University to offer farming training for future generations.
The supermarket will also work with the NFU to pool farmer knowledge, Natural England on planting and water use, and will use industry experts to measure its schemes.
David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for our generation and growing food is a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
“As British farming’s biggest supermarket customer, we’re in a unique position to guide our farms and help lead changes in environmental practices. It’s years ahead of industry expectations – and an ambitious target – but it’s our duty to do it.”
Environment Secretary, George Eustice MP, said:“The UK is the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050. Our farmers will play a key role in achieving this.
“It is encouraging to see Morrisons commit to being supplied by net zero carbon British farms on such an ambitious timescale, helping to protect the environment for future generations.”
Morrisons UK agriculture target forms part of its plan to become ‘net zero’ for emissions by 2040, in line with the international Paris Agreement.
The Scottish Flood Forecasting Service (SFFS) is today marking a decade of supporting the nation’s preparedness and response to flooding.
Staffed around the clock 365 days a year, the service has been combining hydrological and meteorological data to provide strengthened flood forecasting for Scotland over the last 10 years, and is a close partnership between The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Met Office.
Its team of experts across Scotland has delivered more than 3800 national flood guidance statements. These five day forecasts are issued daily to a range of 230 organisations including emergency services and local authorities, helping emergency responders prepare in advance for the impacts of flooding.
Climate change is likely to bring increased risk of coastal, river and surface water flooding. With sea level rise and more extreme weather, including wetter winters, more intense rainfall and thundery weather in summer, the increasing importance of the service to help Scotland prepare and adapt is clear.
The service has played a critical role in forecasting impacts from some of the most significant weather events of the decade, including storms Desmond and Frank in 2015. These saw SEPA issue its first severe Flood Warning since the formation of the SFFS, and its highest number of Flood Warnings in one day (101 warnings) respectively.
Terry A’Hearn, SEPA CEO, said: “Over the last ten years, the SFFS has proved a vital service to help Scotland prepare in advance for the worst impacts of flooding. Preparation is crucial, as we saw in the last fortnight when towns from Aberdeenshire to the Scottish Borders flooded.
“The threat from flooding is real and growing. As well as posing a risk to properties, infrastructure and our environment, it can pose a serious threat to life. We and our partners at the Met Office, together with flood management authorities, community responders and communities themselves all have key roles to play as Scotland learns to live safely with flooding.”
Over the last 10 years, the Met Office has made continual improvements to the radar network and other weather technology. This enables the SFFS to issue more detailed daily flood guidance, with ever increasing lead-time and confidence.
Met Office Chief Executive Professor Penny Endersby said: “Climate change is not only resulting in a warming climate but also more intense rainfall which has a crucial bearing on the SFFS’s operations. The risk and impacts of flooding are likely to increase over the coming years, meaning we will need to continue to adapt our services.
“Forecasting skills are constantly evolving and developing thanks to world leading, cutting-edge science and technology and as we look to the future it is clear that we will need to continue to work together if we are to ensure that Scotland will continue to stay safe and thrive.”
The service was also recognised by the Royal Meteorological Society for its pioneering work to provide the UK’s first operational 24-hour surface water flood risk forecast during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Showing street-level surface water predictions for the first time, the project was the result of joint research with Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters, CREW, and has helped improve understand of flooding that doesn’t arise from rivers or the sea.
The launch of the SFFS in March 2011 was supported by the Scottish Government.
Kenny Wratten, Chair of the Local Authorities Resilience Group Scotland, said: “Getting that five day forecast of flooding every morning from SFFS helps councils plan and deliver flood mitigation and response.
“The earlier we get an indication of what’s expected and where, the better we and other responders can gear up to make best use of available resource in areas we know are most likely to be affected.
“For councils this might include extra maintenance in trouble spots, considering road closures, the deployment of flood protection measures, and making arrangements to assist people. More than anything it’s about working together using best knowledge to support our communities.”
Paul Laidlaw, Resilience Manager for the Scottish Flood Forum said: “Services from the SFFS are invaluable to the Scottish Flood Forum (SFF), as they help us to work with communities to build actions that help them prepare for flooding.
“The Flood Guidance Statement in particular helps us and other recognised community responders get enough of a heads-up to prepare where flood recovery resources may need to be deployed, to help those impacted.
“It also provides an excellent learning tool for us to help communities develop flood plans and response exercises, which alongside SEPA Flood Warning messages helps them better avoid, reduce or prevent damages that all too often can leave physical and psychological scars.”
In addition to the five-day flood forecast shared with emergency responders and those with flood-risk management duties, plans are also in progress for a public-facing three-day flood forecasting product, being developed in consultation with the public.
SEPA is Scotland’s national flood forecasting, flood warning and strategic flood risk management authority. As well as working in partnership with the Met Office to forecast for flooding, it operates Floodline in Scotland to warn the public and emergency responders when flooding is likely.
It issues regional Flood Alerts – early advice that flooding is possible – across wide geographical areas covering the length and breadth of Scotland. It also issues local Flood Warnings in areas where it has developed river system monitoring and flood risk impact knowledge. These warnings are issued at shorter notice when it is more certain that a specific area will be affected.
Vincent Fitzsimons, SEPA’s Head of Flooding, added: “There are some simple steps you can take to help prepare for flooding, including signing up to Floodline, preparing a flood plan, familiarising yourself with how to shut off energy and water supplies, having key contact numbers to hand and considering the use of flood protection products.
“And when flooding does strike, remember these five important tips;
Do not walk, drive or swim through flood water.
Do avoid any form of direct contact with flood water as it could be contaminated.
Do not use any electrical appliances.
Do move to higher ground and wait for the emergency services to find you.
Do co-operate with emergency services and your local authority who are responsible for co-ordinating relief measures.”
Members of the public can access river level data from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for the first time since the cyber-attack on 24 December.
The data has remained available to SEPA staff ensuring delivery of nationally important flood forecasting, including Flood Alerts and Warnings, continued throughout. What was not possible was displaying the same information on public web pages.
SEPA’s river gauging network consists of over 350 sites. While between 10 and 15 percent of stations are not displaying data at present, work to bring these back online is progressing and new sites are being added every day. The page is available at sepa.org.uk/waterlevels.
Vincent Fitzsimons, SEPA’s Head of Hydrology, said: “We appreciate how valuable our river level data is, from those planning leisure activities to people looking for additional information during flooding.
“Flood Alerts and Warnings are always the most up-to-date information, but when river levels are very high and warnings are out we know residents use the site to see whether levels upstream are continuing to rise or have started to fall.
“Since the cyber-attack on Christmas Eve our staff have worked as quickly as possible to restore public access, and this is an important step in the restoration of information that we know people use.”
The river level service will still be subject to intermittent interruptions as additional work continues in the background but these will be kept to a minimum as much as possible.
The data download facility, rainfall web pages and historical river and rainfall data are not yet available.
SEPA is working to restore these services as quickly as possible and will continue to provide updates through its weekly service status updates published every Friday at at sepa.org.uk/servicestatus.
Tenants and private sector landlords facing financial difficulties caused by the pandemic have more time to access support after two loan schemes were extended.
The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund and the Private Rent Sector Landlord (non-business) COVID-19 Loan Scheme, both of which offer interest-free loans, will continue to receive applications beyond the original deadline of 31 March 2021.
It comes after Housing Minister Kevin Stewart extended temporary regulations banning the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors, giving further safeguards to tenants during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Mr Stewart said: “Throughout this pandemic our focus has been on enabling people to stay safe in their homes while the lockdown restrictions needed to suppress the virus are in place.
“These loan schemes have provided vital support as part of our broader effort to help those facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. For the majority of tenants facing financial difficulties and arrears the best means of support continues to be regular non-repayable support, for example through Universal Credit and Discretionary Housing Payments.
“However, for those who may fall through the gap and are unable to claim such support, these funds offer a helping hand to manage any rent issues that have arisen in the last few months as a result of COVID-19.
“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic and that tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.”
Pensioners have more penalty points than young drivers
There are more than 304,000 pensioners (over 65s) currently driving on UK roads with penalty points on their licence, nearly 25 times the number of young teenage drivers – of which there are just over 12,000 with penalty points.
The findings, which came from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the DVLA by the UK’s largest independent road safety charity – IAM RoadSmart – also revealed that the oldest person driving with points on their licence was 102 while there are more than 3,000 over the age of 90 currently driving with penalty points.
Overall, there are more drivers in their 30s with penalty points than any other age range (575,029), closely followed by those in their 40s (572,238) and then by those in their 50s (568,511). The highest single age with the greatest number of people with points was 49 (63,248).
Additional findings from the FOI discovered that there is up to 8,800 people still driving with more than 12 points – the amount at which you are disqualified – while the highest number of penalty points currently held by one individual is 68.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy & Research, said: “The findings from our Freedom of Information request are surprising. Speeding and other motoring misdemeanours are often associated with younger drivers but the findings clearly show there is a large number of older drivers also flouting the rules.
“Regardless of age, the message we need to get through is that road safety is paramount and we urge drivers of all ages to stick to the speed limits and ensure their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition.
“We also urge government to urgently revisit the issue of drivers with more than 12 points who still have not had their licences revoked. IAM RoadSmart has been raising this issue for almost a decade now and the problem still persists.
“It’s not by chance that certain drivers amass 12 or more points and they need to be removed from the public roads. By letting them keep their licence it undermines the simple “four strikes and you’re out” message and this urgently needs to be addressed.”
Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs said:“Every health board in Scotland has been significantly impacted by Covid-19, but none more than NHS Lothian.
“Consecutive years of chronic underfunding for NHS Lothian by SNP Ministers has meant that the health boards was the least prepared for Covid-19, with lengthening waiting times pre Covid-19.
“A recovery plan to restore performance targets will be important across Scotland, but especially for NHS Lothian and the formula for funding health boards needs urgently reviewed.
“It is time for NHS Lothian to receive their fair share of funding, so that patients in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s don’t have to suffer exceptionally long waiting times for treatments.”
Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace items which were stolen from an address in the New Town area.
The theft took place between 11.30am and 12.45pm on Saturday February 6 2021, during which these distinctive cameras were stolen:
• Canon 5D Mark III worth a 4-figure sum. Peak design camera strap, black with red attachments. Body serial number 185025000491. Lens serial number 06947041.
• Canon AE-1P worth a 3-figure sum. Peak design camera strap, black with red attachments.
Anyone who may have seen these items since that date, or has information on where they may be now, is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 2374 of 06/02/21 or anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their Anonymous Online Form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Medics against Violence, a charity founded and led by senior clinicians, are partnering with NHS Lothian and Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation to deliver Youth Navigator, a Youth work based community outreach service which will be based in the Acute Receiving Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and St John’s Hospital, Livingston.
Youth Navigator aims to support young people through a joined-up hospital and community youth work approach with some of the life challenges they face that can bring them into contact with health services.
Presentation to hospital at a time of crisis is known to be a ‘reachable moment’. This is when people are more open to accepting support. The Youth Navigator will work alongside the medical and nursing staff to make sure that those important opportunities are not missed.
Dr Christine Goodall, Director of Medics against Violence said: “We are really looking forward to being able to offer the Navigator service to younger people.
“We will also have the opportunity, with the adult and youth Navigator services co-located in Lothian, to offer holistic support to the whole family should they need it.”
Tam Begbie National Co-Ordinator for the Navigator service said: “Starting up a Youth Navigator service just makes sense to us, we’ve seen many people within the adult service who would really have benefitted from this had it been available to them when they were younger.
“We hope it will give the young people who are supported by the service the connections and tools for a happier and healthier future.”
Sanjay Singh, Head of Funding Programmes at Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with NHS Lothian and Medics against Violence to provide match funding for this innovative programme.
“Having the Youth Navigator service available at such a critical point will really benefit vulnerable young people, particularly during these times of increased stress and anxiety.”
Dr Alison McLuckie, Lead Clinician for Youth Navigator in NHS Lothian said: “We are really excited to be able to offer this new service to our adolescent patients which will build on the success of the adult Navigator service and be based around the ethos of one trusted adult and community based outreach to provide the right care at the right time.”
Scotland’s ability to legislate in areas such as food, health and environmental standards is being undermined in a “systematic attack” on devolution, according to Constitution Secretary Michael Russell.
A report published yesterday by the Scottish Government shows the extent to which the Scottish Parliament’s devolved powers are being eroded by the UK Government following the 2016 Brexit vote.
AFTER BREXIT: The UK Internal Market Act & Devolution sets out how:
the Scottish Parliament’s views on Brexit have been ignored by the UK Government
terms of reference designed to agree Brexit negotiating objectives among the UK’s four governments were disregarded
the UK Government and Parliament now regularly legislate in devolved policy areas and adjust the powers of the Scottish Parliament without the consent of the Scottish Parliament
UK Government Ministers have taken powers to spend in devolved areas
Most notably, the recently passed UK Internal Market Act allows the UK Government to in effect impose standards in a large number of areas that are devolved.
It means the Scottish Parliament could have its hands tied if it wants to stop the sale of hormone injected beef, regulate food content to prevent obesity or ban single-use plastics to protect the environment, the report sets out
The report also details how the Act is being used by the UK Government to divert funding that would otherwise come to the Scottish Parliament to decide how it should be spent.
One example is the UK Government administered Levelling Up Fund for infrastructure projects, which is bypassing any Scottish Parliament involvement in around £400 million of expected consequential funding.
Additionally UK Government Ministers now have the power to extend to Scotland’s NHS the controversial market access principles that the Act introduces.
Mr Russell added: “Devolution has helped to move Scotland forward, building on the fundamental principle that the Parliament and Government elected by the Scottish people should make decisions for Scotland.
“But since the Brexit vote there has been a systematic attack on the Scottish Parliament’s powers, fundamentally undermining devolution.
“Bit by bit, the settlement that secured 74% support in the 1997 devolution referendum, is being unpicked under the cover of Brexit and without the consent of Scottish people.
“This is not a big bang abolition – it is instead the slow demise of devolution in the hope that no-one will notice.
“The UK Government has signalled its desire is to ‘undo’ devolution and it is now repeatedly using its majority at Westminster to impose laws in devolved policy areas.
“Most alarming of all, the Internal Market Act has substantially weakened the Scottish Parliament’s powers.
“The Act is going to have a very real impact on everyone in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament’s ability to ensure high levels of food standards and stop the sale of single-use plastics could be rendered obsolete – undoing devolution and undermining Scotland’s ability to directly shape its future.
“UK Government Ministers also now have the power, at a stroke of their pen, to subject Scotland’s NHS to the market access principles the Act introduces.
“That is why we will continue to resist the damaging effects of this Act in every way possible, and why we are bringing forward an independence referendum Bill – to keep Scottish powers in the hands of the Scottish people.”
As the Chair of Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council, I want to make it very clear that we do not agree with the article in the Edinburgh Evening News which states that the Council found that, “there is no culture of racism in the city schools”.
We get many complaints from parents telling us about incidents in schools all the time and reports of racism has increased since the Black Lives Movement. This is not just the case in schools but many other institutions.
There has been a culture of racism in many schools both public and private for a long time.
We promoted and assisted with some work dealing with racism in schools, however some schools have dealt with it better than others by acknowledging that there is a problem and then making sure something is done about it quickly.
We have always said that no child should be facing or dealing with racism and educational institutions should be protecting our young people and Councils should be doing more to alleviate racism in schools and this starts with the curriculum and with external help.
Racism will not disappear until we all work together, from government level to schools. However, some schools need to acknowledge there is a problem, and seek help. If this truth is not accepted, racism will continue to damage our children. This is totally unacceptable.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chair, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council
